ὧν ἥδε βίβλος ἔνδον ὠδίνω, φίλε,
βαθὺς χαρακτὴρ καὶ περισκελὴς ἄγαν:
δεῖται κολυμβητοῦ δὲ πάντως Δηλίου.
εἰ δ᾽ αὖ κυβιστήσει τις εἰς ἐμοὺς μυχοὺς

καὶ πᾶν μεταλλεύσειεν ἀκριβῶς βάθος,
γεωμετρῶν τὰ πρῶτα λήψεται γέρα,
σοφὸς δ᾽ ἀναμφίλεκτος εἰσκριθήσεται.
τούτων δὲ μάρτυς ἐγγυητής τε Πλάτων:

— Paton edition

Deep, reader, and exceeding hard is the character
of the things wherewith this book is big, and it has
every need of a Delian diver.¹ But if one dive into
its depths and investigate accurately every recess,
he shall gain the first prize in geometry, and be pro-
nounced indisputably a learned man. Plato is witness
and security for this.²

— Paton edition

Deep, reader, and exceeding hard is the character
of the things wherewith this book is big, and it has
every need of a Delian diver.¹ But if one dive into
its depths and investigate accurately every recess,
he shall gain the first prize in geometry, and be pro-
nounced indisputably a learned man. Plato is witness
and security for this.²

— Paton edition

ὧν ἥδε βίβλος ἔνδον ὠδίνω, φίλε,
βαθὺς χαρακτὴρ καὶ περισκελὴς ἄγαν:
δεῖται κολυμβητοῦ δὲ πάντως Δηλίου.
εἰ δ᾽ αὖ κυβιστήσει τις εἰς ἐμοὺς μυχοὺς

καὶ πᾶν μεταλλεύσειεν ἀκριβῶς βάθος,
γεωμετρῶν τὰ πρῶτα λήψεται γέρα,
σοφὸς δ᾽ ἀναμφίλεκτος εἰσκριθήσεται.
τούτων δὲ μάρτυς ἐγγυητής τε Πλάτων:

— Paton edition